Getting Back To Basics With Model Gemma Cowling
“I’m Gemma Cowling. I consider myself to be a pretty low-key when it comes to my beauty routine. To put it simply, my signature look is sunscreen on fresh skin. I’m all about keeping it simple, and am a big believer that you shouldn’t put anything on your body unless it’s to feed it what it needs—yet somehow my beauty cabinet is a flowing and very random assortment of drugstore makeup and beauty products. Being a model, a LOT of the products in my beauty cabinet are designed to scrub my face clean after a day on a shoot. There is nothing better than clean skin. I have more shampoo and hair products than it makes sense for one person to need, and let’s not even talk about the masses of hair ties and bobby pins…
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Balenciaga B. Balenciaga Skin
B. Balenciaga Skin by Balenciaga is my scent. I love the notes of green tea mixed with sweat and cigarette smoke. Subtle and sexy.
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Essano Clarifying Clay Masque
My beauty philosophy is that less is everything, and I tend to keep to a very basic routine. However, I was recently introduced to this masque, and am now obsessed. I use it once a week to give my skin a good detox, and my face always feels fresh and glowing afterwards.
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Lucas' Papaw Ointment
Who doesn’t own twenty tubes of this bad boy? You will find tubes of this in my beauty cabinet, handbag, back pocket… I always have one on the go.
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Nair Cream Hair Bleach For Face And Body
My bleached eyebrows have become a part of my signature look, and a girl’s gotta maintain them! I bleach them myself every fortnight using Nair’s Cream Hair Bleach for Face and Body, letting it sit for 20 minutes.
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Toni & Guy Leave In Conditioner
I am pretty vigilant with my hair, and try to keep it as healthy as possible. Being bleached blonde, if I don’t look after, it I will lose it! For this reason, I love a leave-in conditioner. It gives me that extra level of nourishment after washing. I also use this to reset my hair between washes (hot tip)—I apply to it to my ends and spritz with a little bit of water. It keeps my hair smooth.”
Photographed by the author.